PD takes down serial thief on Sun. Jan. 15

BURLESON – A suspected serial thief was captured by Burleson police Sunday, Jan. 15, after a pursuit that crossed into Fort Worth and ended with the SWAT team there forcing him out of a stolen vehicle.

Brian Lee Rinehart, 46, of Joshua remained in custody in Johnson County Tuesday. After his arrest, authorities discovered he was sought in connection with several warrants from different counties – many of them theft-related, Burleson Police Chief Billy J. Cordell said Tuesday.
The arrest stemmed from a 5:30 p.m. Sunday incident that took place in the middle of the evening’s weather events, said DeAnna Phillips, marketing and communications director for the city of Burleson.
A woman told police her purse, with cell phone inside, had been stolen from her car while it was parked at the Walmart Neighborhood store on John Jones Drive at Alsbury Boulevard, Cordell and Phillips said.Working with police, she used her “Find My Phone” app to track the thief. This led to a traffic stop in which the suspect fled and later to a gas station at FM 1187 and I-35. When confronted at the gas station, the suspect refused to exit the vehicle, which later was revealed to have been stolen from Arlington.
He said he had a gun and was willing to kill himself, the chief said.
Fort Worth SWAT was called and they applied tear gas to the vehicle and taking him into custody on suspicion of evading arrest and theft. An “air-soft gun” was found in the car.”
“Our charge against him is theft because he stole a very expensive purse and had two prior conviction for theft, which makes this charge a felony,” the chief said.